Selection of Photovoltaic Modules for Off-Grid Rural Application Based on Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP)

Rural electrification, especially in the developing countries, is one of the major applications of solar PV based energy systems. The choice of an appropriate PV module and battery technology is very crucial for the success of a product or business model. In the context of PV for off grid rural applications, the choice of technology is not only determined by technological parameters, but also by various socio - economic parameters and other practical constraints. The use of Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) as a tool is an attempt to identify and include all the parameters which influence the choice of technology, directly or indirectly and to perform a pre-simulation ranking of technology alternatives. All the factors are arranged in a logical hierarchical tree according to their level of influence in the decision making. Based on the current values of quantitative attributes and the perceptions of the decision maker, pair wise comparisons of attributes and technologies are performed and the ranks of technologies are determined. For a better understanding of the relative importance of the attributes in decision making, a 'sensitivity analysis' can also be performed.